Pickup and loading attachment for carriers



Dec. 7, 1943. R. H. ELHOLM PICKUP AND LOADING ATTACHMENT FOR CARRIERSFiled Aug. 21, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 R Q m 5 n mm m ,i H A J i Am .T w QQ Q A R R N wN W |||||||l| n QR Y: .Y Q \W M v m l Dec. 7, 1943. R. H.ELHOLM PICKUP AND LOADING ATTACHMENT FOR CARRIERS Filed Aug. 21, 1941 3Sheets-Sheet 2 ZRHEZ/zalni Dec. 7, 1943. R, H, LHOLM 2,335,924

PICKUP AND LOADING ATTACHMENT FOR CARRIERS Filed Aug. 21, 1941' 3Sheets-Sheet 3 57 i4 RHZlizoZm Patented Dec. 7, 1943 PICKUB AND LOADINGATTACHMENT FOR cmamas Roy H. Elliolm, Gustine, Calif. Application August21, 1941, Serial No. 407,806

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a conveyor which is adapted to be connected toa wheeled carrier such as a motor truck and which is especially adaptedfor use in loading sacks of grain onto the bed of the truck as the truckis moving in a forward direction. I

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention,

to provide a loader attachment which is adapted to be used for loadingsacked grain which is dropped on the ground by a combine to provide adevice that will pick up the sacks and convey them to a position where aworkman standing on the bed of the truck can readily removethe sacksfrom the loader and load them onto the truckbed" Still another aim ofthe invention is to provide a loader-including an endless conveyoradapted to be driven by a ground wheel of the carrier or truck andhaving clutch means for disengaging the endless conveyor, when desired,and for releasing the endless conveyor while the truckis backing.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide, a pickup andloading-device including a conveyor frame which is pivotally anddetachably mounted intermediate of its ends on-the truck or carrier andata side thereof and'which is supported by means of ground wheels 'atits S forward end so that the frame, which is inclined upwardly andrearwardly, canswing relatively to the truck'to permit the ground wheelsthereof" to ride over uneven portions of the ground,

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide a roller journaled inthe' forward end of the loader frame and driven off of the endlessconveyor to revolve in the opposite direction to said ground wheel, saidroller being disposed to initially engage the sacks or other materialto" be loaded onto the truck and being provided with an anti-frictiontread on the periphery thereof for frictionally engaging the sacks ormaterial for drawing them onto the forward end of the'loader and forconveying them to the forward end of the endless conveyor.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide a loader frame whichextends beyond the upper, rear end of the endless conveyor and which isturned inwardly, toward the carrier, at its upper end, and said upperend being provided with rollers for receiving and supporting the sacksafter they have passed the upper end of the endless conveyor and fordirecting the sacks inwardly and to a position over the bed of the truckor carrier.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter becomemore fully apparent from v the following description of the drawings,which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and

wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the pickup and loading device-attached tothe side of a carrier, such as a motor truck, shown diagrammatically,Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same, Figure 3 is an enlargedlongitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane'of. the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and with a part of the device shownbroken away, i v

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a portion of theloader taken substantially along a planeindicated by the line 4-4 ofFigure 1, I

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the device takensubstantially along a plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure .2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the upper portionof the device taken substantially along theplane. of the line 6--6 ofFigure 1, 1 v I Figure 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional viewthrough a portion of the endless conveyor,

Figure 8 is a detailed sectional view taken on the plane indicated byline 8-8 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly'to the drawings, whereinlike referencecharacters designate like or corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views, l0 designates generally a carrier, such as aconventional motor'truck'having a cab H and 1 a horizontal bed l2extending rearwardly therefrom. The truck If! is provided with aplurality of ground wheels, one of which is shown at 13;

The truck in, and the parts thereof previously described, form no partof the invention but are shown and described merely to illustrate theapplication of the pickup and loading device, designated generally M,and comprising the invention. The device l4 includes anelongated frame,designated generally l5 having side rails l6 and I! which extend thelength thereof and which'are disposed substantially parallel to oneanother. A platform I8 is disposed between the sides l6 and I1 andconnected thereto by means of angle members l9 which are suitablyfastened to the parts. It will be readily apparent that the sides It andI1 are held in spaced apart substantially parallel relationship to oneanother by means of the platform l8 and the members l9.

it rod or pipe 20 has one end thereof turnably mounted in the sides Itand ll of the frame IS.

The pipe 29 projects from the inner side l1 and is adapted to bedisposed. transversely of and beneath a portion-of the bed |2. As seenin Figure 4, the bed l2 at the side thereof adjacent to which theloading device I4 is disposed is provided with a depending bracket 2|through which the pipe 26 loosely extends. A pin 22;extends through andis removably mounted in a perpendicular bore or opening 23, adjacent thefree end of the pipe 26, as seen in Figure 5. As seen 'in Figure 1, thepin 22 is adapted to extend through an opening 24 in the bed |2 andthence through the opening'23 to detachably connect the free end of thepipe 26 to the underside of the bed l2 to prevent any sliding orswingingmovement of the pipe 26 relatively to the bracket 2|. When thusdisposed, the upper headed end of the pin 22 will engage the upper sideof the bed l2. The pipe 20 extends transversely through the conveyorframe l5, intermediate of its ends, and thus provides means forpivotally supporting the frame on the carrier ID at a side thereof. Asseen in Figure 2, the frame i is inclinedforwardly and downwardly andthe sides I 6 and H at their forward ends, are provided with forwardlyprojecting arms or bars 25 which are provided, intermediate of theirends, with upwardly projecting members 26 through which extends a shaft21. Ground wheels 28 are rotatably mounted on the ends of the shaft 21and said ground wheels are adapted to engage the ground, as seen inFigure 2, for supporting the forward end of the frame l5. Sleeves 29 areattached to the outer sides of the rails i6 and I1, near the upper rear'end of the frame l5 to slidably receive the upper ends of bars 36. Bars36, from near their upper ends, are inclined downwardly and inwardly,toward the bed |2 to which they are fastened as seen at 3| at theirlower ends. The upper portions of the bars 36, which are substantiallyparallel, loosely and slidably engage the sleeves 29 to permit -alimited swinging movement of the upper end of the frame l5 relatively tothe carrier l0, and from the point 32, as shown in Figure 2, where saidbars are bent inwardly, an obstruction is provided to limit the downwardsliding movement of the sleeves 29 on the upper portions of the bars 36.Thus, the bars 30 limit the upward swinging movement of the forward endof the frame l5 and the wheels 28, by engagement with the ground, limitits downward swinging movement so that e the frame l5 can swingsufficiently relatively to the carrier Ill to ride over uneven portionsof.

the surface over which the carrier I6 is moving.

A shaft 33 extends through and is journaled in the sides l6 and I1,adjacent the lower ends thereof, as seen in Figure 1, and a shaft 34 isjournaled in bearings 35 which are attached to the inner faces of therails l6 and I1, adjacent their upper ends. A pair of sprocket wheels 36is keyed to each of the shafts 33 and 34, between the rails l6 and H.The sprocket wheels 36 of each .of said shafts are spaced apart from oneanother with the corresponding sprocket wheels of the two shaftsdisposed in longitudinal alinement. Chains 31 are trained over saidalined complementary sprocket wheels 36 and said chains have their upperparts disposed above the platform l8 and their lower parts disposedtherebeneath, as best seen in Figure 5. The .ends of the platform H! areprovided with notches or cutout portions 38 to accommodate the sprocketwheels 36. The chains 31 are connected at spaced points by means of bars39 which are disposed transversely of the chains and which are connectedby means of fastenings. 46to lugs 4| which project laterally fromlaterally alined links of the two chains 31, as best seen in Figure '7.The ends of the bars 39 are turned downwardly and back upon themselvesto form portions 42 which are adapted to engage the platform l6. Thebars 39 combine. with the chains 31 to form an endless conveyor,designated generally 43,- of which the bars 39 form longitudinallyspacedslats, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described.

A shaft 44 extends transversely through the frame 15 below the pipe 20and adjacent thereto and is provided with an inner, free end whichextends from the inner rail |1 beneath a portion of the bed I2. Asprocket wheel 45 is turnably mounted on the inner portion of the shaft44 and adjacent the rail H. A second sprocket wheel 46 is turnablymounted on the shaft 44, between the sprocket wheel 45 and the free endof said shaft. Sprocket wheels 46 and 46 are provided with interengagingclutch portions '41, of the ratchet type, as best seen in Figurel, theteeth of which are arranged to mesh so that when the sprocket 46 isturned in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, it will turn thesprocket 45 in the same direction. A collar 46, which is provided with aset screw, is adjustably connected to the shaft 44, adjacent its inner,free end and forms an abutment for one end of an expansion coil spring49, the opposite end of which bears against a hub portion 50 forurging-the sprocket 46 toward the sprocket 45 to' hold theclutch'portions 41. in engagement. As seen in Figure 2, a sprocket wheel6| is connected to the wheel l3 and is actuated thereby. A chain 52 istrained over the sprocket wheels 46 and 6| so that when the vehicle Illmoves forwardly the sprocket 46 will be driven by the sprocket 6| andchain 52 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure l to drivethe sprocket 45 in the same direction through the intermeshed clutchportions 41 which are held in engagement with one another by the spring49. Should the vehicle It be backed to turn the sprocket 46 in theopposite or clockwise direction, it will be readily apparent that theteeth of the clutch portion 41 which is attached to the sprocket 46could ride over the teeth of the clutch portion 41 attached to thesprocket 45 with the spring 49 permitting the sprocket 46 to yieldoutwardly,-for this purpose, so that the sprocket 46 would not drive thesprocket 45 in a clockwise direction. v

The end of the shaft 33, which is disposed between the rail l1 and thebed I2 is provided with a sprocket wheel 53 which is keyed thereto. Astub shaft 54 is supported by means of a hanger 55, as best seen inFigure 2, which hanger is secured to and depends from the outer side ofthe rail l1. A sprocket wheel 56 is turnably mounted on the stub shaft54 and is disposed in longitudinal alinement with the sprocket wheel 45and the sprocket wheel 53. A chain 51 is trained over the sprocketwheels 53 and 56 and under the sprocket wheel 45,'as best seen in Figure4. It will be apparent that when the sprocket wheel 45 is driven in acounterclockwise direction, as seen in Figures 1 and 4, by the sprocketwheel 46, as previously explained, that the sprocket wheel 45 will drivethe chain 51 in the direction as indicated by the arrow 58, in Figure 4,to turn the sprocket wheels 53 and 56 in a clockwise direction or in theopposite direction to the sprocket wheel 45. This will cause thesprocket wheels 36 which are keyed to the shaft 33 to be turned in thesame direction as r wardly and rearwardly of the frame I5.

the sprocket wheel 53 to cause the endless conveyor 43 to move in thedirection as indicated by the arrow 59, in Figure 1, so that the upperportion of the endless conveyor 43, which is disposed above the platformI8 will be moving up- The shaft 34 forms an idler shaft and is driven bythe chains 31 being trained over its sprocket wheel 36'and consequentlywill turn in the same direction as the shaft 33.

A diagonal supporting bar 60, as best seen in Figure 1, is fastened atits forward end to the outer side of therail I7 and at its rear end tothe collar 48 and is disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axis of theframe I5. A lever GI is pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends onthe supporting bar 60, intermediate of the ends thereof. As seen inFigure 5, the hub portion 50 of the sprocket wheel 46 is provided withan annular groove 62 and the lever GI is provided with a forked end 63the prongs of which are provided with inwardly projecting lugs 64 attheir free ends which loosely engage the groove 62 to I1 which extendstherethrough and projects from the ends thereof and has the ends thereofjourpermit the hub 50 to revolve relatively thereto.

It will thus be readily apparent that the opposite, handle end of thelever (H can be swung toward the frame I5 for moving the sprocket wheel46, against the action of the spring 49, away from the sprocket wheel 45to disengage the clutch portions 4'! so that the endless conveyor 43will not be driven although the carrier I0 is moving in a forwarddirection. As seen in Figure 1, a latch bar 65 is attached at one of itsends to the forward side of the supporting bar 60 and near'the forwardendthereof. The latch bar 65 projects obliquely to the bar 60 and isdisposed beneath and in engagement with the lever GI between its pivotand handle end. Latch bar is provided with two upwardly extendingprojections 66 between which the lever BI is adapted to be positionedfor holding the sprocket Wheel 46 in a retracted position. away from thesprocket wheel so that the clutch portions 41 will be disengaged.

A shaft 61 is journaled near its free end in the forward, free ends ofthe arms 25 and forwardly of the shaft 21. A roller 68 is keyed to theshaft 61 and is disposed between the arms 25 and extends substantiallythe width of the frame I5. The roller 68 is preferably formed of rubberand its periphery is provided with annular grooves and notches andprojections therein which combine to form an anti-skid tread 69, for apurpose which will hereinafter be explained. The outer end of the shaft61, which is disposed on the outer side of the outer arm 25, has asprocket wheel I0 keyed thereto and the outer end of the shaft .33 isprovided with a sprocket wheel H. A chain 72 is trained over thesprocket wheels 'II) and TI so that the shaft 6'! will be driven by theshaft 33 and in the same direction as said last mentioned shaft to causethe roller I58 to be revolved in the opposite direction to the wheels 28when the carrier I I] is moving forwardly and when the endless conveyor43 is in operation.

An arm I3 is attached to the upper rear end of the outer rail I5 andprojects rearwardly and inwardly therefrom and an arm I4 is attachedsimilarly to the upper end of the inner rail I7 and projects rearwardlyand inwardly therefrom. The arm I3 is substantially longer than the arm14 and said arms are provided with substantially parallel portions 15,as best seen in Figure 1. A cone shaped roller I6 is provided with ashaft naled in the portions 15. The cone shaped roller I6 tapers fromits outer end, or from the 'end thereof adjacent to the arm 13 to itsinner end. The arms 13 and I4 are also provided with substantiallyparallel free end portions I8 between which is disposed a roller I9having a shaft which projects from the ends thereof andwhich isjournaled in the portions 78. The rollers I6 and I9 combine to form anoutwardly diverging opening therebetween in which is disposed a shortcone shaped roller 8| having a shaft 82 which extends therethrough andwhich is journaled in the intermediate portion of the member Roller 8|tapers in the same direction as the roller 16.

An elongated. plate 83 is suitably fastened to the outer side of therail I1 and projects substantially above the upper edge thereof. As seenin Figure 1, the plate 83 extends from adjacent the lower end of therail IT to a point near its upper end and to a point which is above thelevel of the bed I2. An elongated plate 84 is attached to the outer sideof the rail I6 and similarly projects substantially above the upper edgetherof and extends from adjacent the lower, forward end of the rail I5to beyond the upper rear end thereof, as best seen in Figure 2. Therear, free end portion 85 of the plate 84 is curved inwardly similarlyto the arm I3 above which it is disposed.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 3, a rod or bolt 88 is fastened to andprojects upwardly from each of the arms 25, between the shafts 21 and33.

The rods or bolts 85 are disposed substantially at right angles to theportions of the arms 25 to which they are connected. A roller 8'! isturnably mounted on each of the rods or bolts 86.

Assuming that the pickup and loading device I4 is mounted, as heretoforedescribed, and that the clutch portions 47 are in engagement, as seen inFigure 1, and that the carrier I0 is moving forwardly, it will beobvious that the endless conveyor 43 will be moving in the direction asindicated by the arrow 59, and that the roller 68 sacked grain, notshown, onto the bed I2, and it will be apparent that if said sacks aredisposed.

in the path of the loader I4 that they will be engaged initially by theroller 68 which, due to the direction in which it is turning, and to itsanti-skid tread 69, will frictionally engage the sacks and pull themupwardly and onto said roller and to push them upwardly and onto thelower end of the endless conveyor 43 where the slats 39 will engage thesacks and convey them upwardly over the platform I8 where they can beremoved from the endless conveyor by workmen standing on the bed I2 andstacked or loaded onto the bed I 2. If the sacks are not thus removedfrom the endless conveyor 43 they will be directed thereby onto therollers I6, I9 and SI over which they will be pushed by following sacksand thus caused to drop onto the bed I2. The plates 83 and 84 formsupplementary guard rails to prevent the sacks from dropping off of thesides of the frame I5 and the rail portion 85 effectively prevents thesacks from being forced off of the outer ends of the rollers 15, I5 and8| and guides the sack inwardly and toward the bed I2. The rollers 81 vare adapted to be engaged by the sacks as they move between the roller68 and the endless conveyor 43, should the sacks be off center forguiding the sacksto correctly position them on the endless conveyor. Aspreviously explained, it will be obvious that the forward, lower end ofthe frame I5 has a limited upward swinging movement to permit the wheels28 to ride over obstructions or uneven surfaces, and it will furthermorebe obvious that the lever 6| can be latched to hold the clutch portions41 in a released position so that the endless conveyor 43 and roller 68will not be driven.

The pickup and loading device H can be readily demounted from thecarrier H! by disconnecting the bars 30 from the sleeves 29 and removingthe pin 22 and chain 52 so that the loader M canbe moved laterally awayfrom the carrier III to slide the pipe 20 outwardly through the bracket2! for disengaging it therefrom to thereby disengage the loading deviceH from the carrier l0.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed.

I claim as my invention:

A sack pickup comprising a portable conveyor frame adapted to beattached to a side of a wheeled carrier and supported thereby, saidframe being inclined upwardly and rearwardly from its to be loaded ontothe carrier, as the carrier is moved forwardly, for conveying the sackedmaterial upwardly and rearwardly and to a position where it can beloaded onto the carrier, a roller journaled in the forward, lower end ofthe frame and disposed transversely thereof, means for driving saidroller in a'direction to cause the roller to engage and feed the sacksof material upwardly and onto the frame, said roller having a peripheryformed of rubber and provided with a gripping tread for frictionallyengaging the sacks of material.

- ROY H. ELHOLM.

